Electric switch



Dec. 30, 1930. e. A. BURGESS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 20. 1928 w w w 4m d Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNiTEo STATE rarer Fries GALUSHA A.B'Ll'BGESS, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filedJune 20, 1928. Serial No. 286,974.

This invention relates to electric switches adapted for carryingaliquid, such as oil, imand while features of the invention may bemersing the contacts, and thereby avoiding applied in the constructionof switches of any sparking and the injurious effects consequent type,the invention is expected to be especially thereto.

useful when applied to a wall switch, such Further objects of theinvention will ap- 55 as is employed in dwellings for closing the pearhereinafter. circuit through chandeliers or wall lights. The inventionconsists of the novel part-s Wall switches practically all embody intheir and combination of parts to be described construction a springwhich holds the switch hereinafter, all of which contribute to probothin its closed and open position, and such duce an eliicient electricswitch. 60 switches are usually of the snap type, that A preferredembodiment of the invention isto say, they are so constructed that by isdescribed in the following specification, moving the. hand controlledpart past a cerwhile the broad scope-of the invention is tain point, thespring will then operate'to pointed out in the appended claims.

continue the movement and snap the switch The accompanying drawingsillustrate the 65 over to the opposite position. One of the invention.disadvantages of this type of switch is that Figure 1 is a sideelevation of an electric it appears to be necessary to provide a springswitch constructed in accordance with the of considerable strength andhence such a provisions of this invention.

switch makes considerable noise when it is Figure 2 is a horizontalsection on the in 70 actuated. This noise may awake persons regular lineindicated by 22, Figure l. sleeping in an apartment adjoining one inFigure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figwhich the switch is operated lateat night. are 1.

One of the disadvantages of a switch of this 7 Before proceeding to adetailed description type having a strong spring, is that it requires ofthe switch, it will facilitate the disclosure 75 considerable force tooperate the hand conof the invention to state that this switch istrolled member, switch lever or push button constructed in such a waythat it is movable and when the spring snaps the switch over, withsubstantially equal freedom in either a considerable force and 'shock'isimparted direction, that is to say, in the direction to to thefastenings which support the switch in close the switch or to open it.This is preferso the wall; the result of this is that frequently ablyaccomplished by avoiding the use of a such switches eventually loosenthe plaster spring and by constructing the switch in such in theirvicinity. a way as' to avoid the employment of the The general object ofthis invention is to snap principle commonly used in switches provide aswitch of very simple construction of this type. Any simple constructioncan so especially adapted for use as a wall switch be employed for thehand operated member and which will be substantially noiseless in thatcontrols the switch and any suitable its operation; also to provide aswitch of this means may be employed for imparting this type which willoperate without the use of a movement tothe switch member thatactualspring and which'can be operated by theaply closes the switchthrough the agency of plication of a very slight force to the actuatth ot t ithi th 1 t h; ing lever or push button. According to my invention,it provide a One of the objects of the inventi n i o switch casing and awall plate. The switch produce a wall switch which can be operatedCasing performs th f n ti f' f f Wilt-l1 S0 little fOlCG that it 11606.1101', be securely arrying the ngvable switch me nbep which fastened tothe wall lath, but which can, if dei o t olled by the hand operated partof ir e y be Set in the plaster 0f the the switch. The movable switchmember is wall. 7 preferably rotatable and operates when A furtherobject of the invention is to promoved in one directionto open theswitch,

vide a switch ofthis type which is especially and in the other directionto close the switch.

A connection is provided from the hand actuated part or parts to thisswitch member to give it this simple movement, and. all of the partscooperate in their movements so that they move freely with equal freedomin either direction. Their inertia of restholds the switch as left.

The switch is devoid of any spring or any part performing the functionof spring.

I shall now describe a sinmlc embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing the electric switch comprises a rotatablymounted shaft 6 to which is fixed in a suitable manner an electricinsulation member-7. Partly surrounding the member 7 is an electriccontact 8 which, thus, rotatably mounted. The contact 8 constitutes thesegment of a ring and between the ends of said segment protrudes aportion 9 of the member 7, said portion 9 constituting an insulatingsection having substantially the same radius as he outer face of thecontact 8.

The shaft 6 rotates in bearings 10, 11 which, in this instance, areformed in lower and upper heads 12,13, respectively, of a cylindricalcontainer or housing that is indi cated in general by the character 1 1.The heads 12, 13 may be sealed in place so as to make the container 14oil tight and, if desired, oil, not shown, may be placed in thecontainer.

The shaft 6 projects above the head 13 and is provided on its upper endwith an arm 15. Pivoted at 16 to the outer end of the arm is anon-extensible link 17 which in turn is pivoted at 18 to a lever 19. Bynon-extensible I mean that the link 17 is not aspring. My switch isdevoid of a spring between the hand-actuated member and the switch. Thefulcrum of the lever 19 is indicated at 20 and is in the form of apinwhich is supported at its opposite ends in the sides of a substantiallyU-shapcd. bracket 21. The .nd portions of the bracket 21 are outwardlyflared as indicated at 22, so as to receive bet-ween said flared endsthe container 141. To the flared ends 22 are welded, or otherwisesecured, semi-circular clamping members 23 which fit the periphery ofthe container The clamping members 23 are provided with ears 2 1 thatproject beyond the periphery of the container 14; and a bolt 25 passesthrough the ears 21 for the purpose of holding the clamping members 23toward one another, thus to securely support the container 11-. v

The lever 19 is operated, in this instance, by a pair of push buttons,an upper button 26 and a lower button 27. The button 26 is secured tothe outer end of an arm 28 which is pivoted at 29 to the lever 19 at apoint between the pivot 18 and fulcrum 20. The button 27 is secured toan arm 30 which is pivoted at 31 to the lever 19 at a. point below thefulcrum 20. The pivots 29, 31 are approximately equidistant from thefulcrum 20 so that the lever 19 will be swung the same distance inopposite directions by movement of the buttons 26, 27 through likedistances. The arm 15, 15 always extends at some angle in relation tothe link 17 so as to avoid dead centers, thus making it possible byalternately pushing the buttons 26, 27 to oscillate the shaft 6 and theelectric contact 8.

Arranged diametrically opposite one'another and adapted to engage thecontact 8, when said contact is in the position shown in Fig. 2, arestationaril-y mounted electric contacts 32, 33 of arcuate shape. \Vhenthe contacts 8, .32, 33 are engaged, the switch is on or closed and inthis position the button 26 is out and the other button 27 is in.Therefore, for purposes of description, it may be assumed that thebutton 26 is the off button, and the button 27 the on button. T 0 openthe vitch so as to break the electric circuit the button 26 will bedepressed, thus rotating the shaft 6 clockwise in Fig. 2 to therebycause thecontact 8 to rotate out of engagement with the contact 33.

In this instance, the buttons 26, 27 pass through orifices 34, 35 in aplate 36 which plate is adapted to be secured to any suitable support,not shown. The bracket 21 is riveted, or otherwise secured to the plate36.

The contacts 32, 33 are provided at their upper ends with U-shapedfastening clips 37 which embrace the upper end of the container 14:.Binding posts 38 pass through the clips 37 and throughthe wall of thecontainer 14:, the heads 39 of the binding post screws being inside ofthe container. The wires of the circuit that is to be controlled by theswitch will be secured to the binding posts 38.

Briefly stated, the invention operates as follows: Assuming that theparts are in the circuit closing position, as in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, to turn the switch off, the button 26 will be depressed, thusswinging the upper end of the lever 19 to the left in Fi 1, therebyrotating the shaft 6 clockwise. This causes the contact 8 to rotate outof engagement with the contact 33,thereby interrupting the flow ofcurrent between the contacts 32, At the same. time the lower end of thelever 19 is caused to swing to the right in Fig. 1, thus pushing out thebutton 27.

To then close the switch, the operator will depress the button 27 so asto swing the upper end of the lever 19 to the right in Fig. 1, therebyturning the contact 8 counter-clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 2so as to engage not only the contact 32 but also the contact therebyenabling electric current to flow bet-ween the contacts 32, 33. When theupper end of the lever 19 is swung to the right, it pushes out thebutton 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention is very simple andpositive in action and that I avoid the use of aspring. The contacts 32,33 are of spring brass and are under a slight tension so as to pressagainst the contact 8.

What I claim is: p

1. In a noiseless electric wall-switch for closing an electric circuit,the combination of a wall-plate, a switch-casing, a movableswitch-member for opening and closing the circuit, hand actuated meanssupported on the wall-plate, and non-extensible means connecting thesame with the switchmember to operate it, said parts being freelymovable from their position of rest in a direction to close or open theswitch and 0per-' ating to hold the switch closed or open by reason ofthe inertia of rest of the parts in the position in which they are left.

2. A noiseless electric wall-switch having in combination, a wall-plate,a switch-casing having a pair of separated contacts, a movableswitch-member carried by the cas ing, cooperating with the contacts toopen or close a circuit through the same, hand actuated means supportedon the wall-plate, and non-extensible means connecting the last namedmeans with the switch-member, freea 1y movable in a direction to closeor open the switch, said parts cooperating to hold the switch closed oropen through the inertia of rest of the parts in the position in whichthey are left.

3. A noiseless electric wall-switch having in combination, a wall-plate,a switch-casing, a pair of separated contacts, a movable switch-membercarried by the casing cooperating with the contacts to open or close acircuit through the same, hand actuated means supported on thewall-plate, and nonextensible means connecting the last named means withthe switch-member freely movable with equal freedom in the direction toclose the switch or to open the switch, said parts cooperating tomaintain the switch open or closed through the inertia of rest of theparts in the position in which they are left.

4. A noiseless electric wall-switch for closing anelectric circuit,having in combination, a wall-plate, a switch-casing having a pair ofseparated contacts, a rotatable switch-member carried by the casingcooperating with the contacts to open or close the circuit, saidrotatable switch-member being movable with equal freedom in a directionto close the switch or to open the same, hand actuated means supportedon the wall-plate,

non-extensible means, that is to say, means devoid of a spring,connecting the same with the switch-member, said hand actuated meansbeing freely movable with equal freedom in the direction to close theswitch or to open the switch, and all of said parts cooperating to holdthe switch closed or open through the inertia of rest of the parts inthe position in which they are left.

5. A noiseless electric wallswitch for closing an electric circuit,having in combination, a wall-plate, a switch-casing carried by thewall-plate and having a pair of separated contacts, a rotatableswitch-member mounted to rotate on an axis substantially parallel withthe wall plate, carried by the casing cooperating with the contacts toopen or close the circuit, a pivotally supported lever mounted back ofthe wall plate to swing in a plane substantially at right angles to theplane of the wallplate, a connection from the lever to the rotatableswitch-member to move the same to open or close the circuit, apush-button guided on the wall plate for moving the lever in onedirection, another push button guided on the wall-plate to move thelever in the other direction, said partsbeing freely movable with equalfreedom in either direction, and cooperating to hold the switch open orclosed through the inertia of rest of the parts in the position inwhich'they are left. u 6. Anelectric switch comprising a rotat ablymount-ed shaft, an arm fixed to said shaft, a link pivotally connectedto said arm, a lever pivotally connected to the link, push buttonsconnected with the lever on opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever,a segmental electric contact mounted on and insulated from the shaft,and electric contacts mounted at opposite sides of the shaft in positionto both engage the first mentioned contact when the shaft is turned inone direction, one of the second mentioned contacts being out ofengagement with the first mentioned contact when the shaft is turnedthrough a predetermined number of degrees in the opposite direction.

7. An electric switch comprising a container provided with heads closingits opposite ends, a shafi journaled in said heads and projectin outsideof the container, an arm fixed to the projecting end of said shaft, ameans to oscillate the arm, a segmental electric contact mounted on andinsulated from the shaft within the container, and electric contactsmounted on opposite sides of the 7

